Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
Parallel Translations
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Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
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And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
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And Moab said unto the elders of Midian: 'Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.' — And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. —
Cross-references (8)
Passages linked to Numbers 22:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Numbers 25:15-18 The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur. He was head of the people of a fathers’ house in Midian. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Harass the Midianites, and strike them; for they harassed you with their wiles, wherein they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the incident regarding Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.”
- Numbers 31:8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.
- Numbers 22:2 Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
- Numbers 22:7 The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
- Numbers 24:17 I see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel, and shall strike through the corners of Moab, and crush all the sons of Sheth.
- Joshua 13:21-22 all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses struck with the chiefs of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land. The children of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword, among the rest of their slain.
- Judges 11:25 Now are you anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them?
- Jeremiah 48:38 On all the housetops of Moab, and in its streets, there is lamentation everywhere; for I have broken Moab like a vessel in which no one delights,” says Yahweh.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Which were the heads and governors.
Which were the heads and governors.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Num 22:4 And Moab said unto the elders of…
Num 22:4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all [that are] round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor [was] king of the Moabites at that time.
Ver. 4. Unto the elders of Midian.] Their neighbours and confederates. These are called the dukes of Sihon, as having been subdued by his tyranny, whereof Israel had now freed them, and meant them no hurt. {Num 31:8 Jos 13:21}
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And Balak the son of Zippor.] A politic and potent prince, {Mic 6:5} not more valiant than vigilant, ingeniose nequam, wittily wicked.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The elders of Midian, called the kings of Midian,…
The elders of Midian, called the kings of Midian, Num 31:8, and princes of Midian, Jos 13:21; who though divided into their kingdoms, yet were now unified upon the approach of the Israelites their common enemy; and being, as it seems, a potent and crafty people, and neighbours to the Moabites, these seek confederacy with them. We read of Midianites near Mount Sinai, Exo 2; Exo 3, which seem to have been a part or colony of this people that went out to seek new quarters, as the manner of those times was, but the body of that people were seated in those parts, as is evident from many scriptures.
Lick up, i.e. consume and utterly destroy, in which sense the fire is said to lick up the water and sacrifices, 1Ki 18:38. The meaning is, we can expect no mercy from them, they will utterly root us out as they did the Amorites, if we do not make a stout and timely opposition.
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All that are round about us, i.e. all our people, who lived in the country and territory adjoining to each city, where the princes resided.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of…
He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor,.... In consequence of the consultation held by the king of Moab with the elders of Midian; and very probably through a motion of theirs, and by advice they gave, Balak dispatched messengers of both people to the person here described by his name and parentage; but who he was is not easy to say: the Jews sometimes make him to be a magician in Pharaoh's court, at the time when Moses was born (z), which is not probable; and it is still more improbable that he should be Laban the Syrian, as the Targum of Jonathan here, and the Targum on Ch1 1:44 though others say (a) he was the son of Beor, the son of Laban, and so was the grandson of Laban; and with as little probability is he said to be Elihu, that answered Job according to a tradition of the Jews, mentioned by Jerom (b); nor is there any reason to believe that he was ever a good man, and a true prophet of the Lord; he is expressly said to be a diviner or a soothsayer, Jos 13:22, a sort of men abhorred of God, and not to be suffered to be among his people, Deu 18:10 but were of great credit and esteem among the Heathens, for their pretensions to foretell things to come, or to discover lost goods, and the like; and by their enchantments to drive away evils, or bring on curses, for which Balaam was famous: and therefore, by the advice of the Midianites, Balak sent for him
to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people; the land of his people, of his birth or habitation, was Aram or Syria, Num 23:7 that is, Aram Naharaim, which lay between the two rivers Tigris and Euphrates, or what is sometimes called Mesopotamia, as is clear from Deu 23:4, and the river of that land, which was eminently so called, is the river Euphrates, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it here, and by that river was Pethor, where Balaam now lived; and is by some thought to be the same with the Pacoria of Ptolemy (c), which was by that river: the messengers were sent
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to call him: to invite him to Balak's court:
saying, behold, there is a people come out from Egypt; Balak speaks of them, as if he knew not who they were, only that they were come from Egypt, and were seeking a new habitation to settle in, and so were in danger from them, lest they should invade his country, and settle there:
behold, they cover the face of the earth; not the face of the whole earth, unless an hyperbolical expression is supposed, to set forth the greatness of their numbers; but a large part of the earth, all within sight almost, even the plains of Moab:
and they abide over against me; were very near him, lay encamped before his country, and his metropolis, and so he thought himself in great danger, and threatened with an invasion, as the pitching of their tents so near made him surmise.
(z) Dibre Hayamim Shekmoaseh, fol. 3. 2. (a) Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 7. 2. (b) Quaest. "see Traditiones" in Gen. fol. 69. D. (c) Geograph. l. 5. c. 18.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain The elders - Called the kings of Midian, chap.…
The elders - Called the kings of Midian, chap. xxxi, 8, and princes of Midian, Josh. xiii, 21, who though divided into their kingdoms yet were now united upon the approach of the Israelites their common enemy, and being, as it seems, a potent and crafty people, and neighbours to the Moabites, these seek confederacy with them. We read of Midianites near Mount Sinai, Exod. ii, and iii, which seem to have been a colony of this people, that went out to seek new quarters, as the manner of those times was, but the body of that people were seated in those parts. Lick up - That is, consume and utterly destroy, in which sense the fire is said to lick up the water and sacrifices, 1 Kings xviii, 38. All that are round about us - All our people, who live in the country adjoining to each city, where the princes reside.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Num 22:4. The elders — Called the kings of…
Num 22:4. The elders — Called the kings of Midian, Num 31:8; and princes of Midian, Jos 13:21; who, though divided into their kingdoms, yet were now united upon the approach of the Israelites, their common enemy, and being, as it seems, a potent and crafty people, and neighbours to the Moabites, these seek confederacy with them. We read of Midianites near mount Sinai, Exo 2:3.; which seem to have been a colony of this people, that went out to seek new quarters, as the manner of those times was; but the body of that people were seated in those parts. Lick up — That is, consume and utterly destroy, in which sense the fire is said to lick up the water and sacrifices, 1Ki 18:38; all that are round about us — All our people, who live in the country adjoining to each city, where the princes reside. A lively metaphor to signify the facility with which the Israelites should conquer them without a timely opposition, and likewise what a universal desolation they should make.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Elders of Madian, who dwelt also upon the Arnon,…
Elders of Madian, who dwelt also upon the Arnon, towards the lake of Sodom. These Madianites were a different people from those who inhabited the country to the east of the Red Sea. (St. Jerome) --- They were not governed by kings, but by an aristocracy, or senate of princes. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain elders of Midian--called kings (Num 31:8) and princes (Jos…
elders of Midian--called kings (Num 31:8) and princes (Jos 13:21). The Midianites, a distinct people on the southern frontier of Moab, united with them as confederates against Israel, their common enemy.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 4. Elders of Midian — Greek, “The senate of…
4. Elders of Midian — Greek, “The senate of Madiam.” From the absence of any mention of a king of Midian at this time we infer that the people were governed by the body of elders or princes, and that they were so closely allied to Moab as to have but one king. See Num_22:2, note. It is impossible for geographers to lay down the boundaries of the Midianites. It is certain that they dwelt on the western shore of the AElanitic Gulf, east of Horeb, and that they stretched northward along the eastern frontier of the tribes of Israel east of the Jordan.
Lick up all — This expressive metaphor, still common in the East, was very natural to a pastoral people. Balak wished to arouse the fears of Midian and to secure their aid in the scheme of destroying Israel, not by an alliance of arms but of influence in securing the destructive agency of the renowned Mesopotamian soothsayer.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 4. And Moab said] The people are represented in…
4. And Moab said] The people are represented in the person of their king.
the elders of Midian] They are mentioned, in this story, only here and in Num_22:7. The Midianites may be supposed to have made common cause with the Moabites in fear of the formidable enemy. But if so, it is surprising that they are not named in Balaam’s utterances in ch. 24. Behind the present narrative there may lie some unknown tradition in J which formed the basis of P’s narrative in 31:161 [Note: Notice that Midian is geographically connected with the territory of Moab in Gen_36:35 (J).] . Or perhaps, as some think, a late compiler has here introduced the Midianites in view of Num_31:16.
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And Balak … at that time] In Num_22:2 E has already mentioned Balak as a well-known person.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (4) And Moab said unto the elders of Midian.—It…
(4) And Moab said unto the elders of Midian.—It has been thought that Balak was a Midianite. who had been imposed upon the Moabites as their king by their Amoritish conquerors. (Comp. Num_21:26.) The concluding words of the verse may be understood as denoting a recent change in the dynasty.
As the ox licketh up the grass of the field.—The comparison is one which well accords with the occupation of the Moabites as a pastoral people.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Moab said unto the elders of Midian. The Midianites…
Moab said unto the elders of Midian. The Midianites were descended from Abraham and Keturah, (Gen_25:2, Gen_25:4) and were thus more nearly of kin to Israel than to Moab. They lived a semi-nomadic life on the steppes to the east of Moab and Ammon, (cf. Gen_36:35) supporting themselves partly by grazing, and partly by the caravan trade. (Gen_37:28) Their institutions were no doubt patriarchal, like those of the modern Bedawin, and the "elders" were the sheiks of their tribes. As the ox licketh up the grass of the field. The strong, scythe-like sweep of the ox"s tongue was a simile admirable in itself, and most suitable to pastoral Moab and Midian.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 22:4 Midian: This desert people was descended from Abraham…
22:4 Midian: This desert people was descended from Abraham (Gen 25:1-2; Exod 2:15-16). Their alliance with Moab was the beginning of their conflicts with Israel (Num 22:7; see 25:6, 14-18; 31:2-10; Judg 6–8).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.